CVE-2025-46310: macOS Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

CVE-2025-46310 Overview

CVE-2025-46310 is a vulnerability in macOS that stems from improper state management. This security flaw allows an attacker who has already obtained root privileges to delete protected system files, potentially compromising system integrity and availability. Apple has addressed this issue through improved state management in macOS Sequoia 15.7.4 and macOS Sonoma 14.8.4.

Critical Impact
An attacker with root privileges can bypass macOS System Integrity Protection (SIP) mechanisms to delete protected system files, potentially leading to system instability, data loss, or creating conditions for further exploitation.

Affected Products

macOS Sequoia (versions prior to 15.7.4)
macOS Sonoma (versions prior to 14.8.4)

Discovery Timeline

2026-02-11 - CVE-2025-46310 published to NVD
2026-02-12 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-46310

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management), indicating a flaw in how macOS manages privileged operations and state transitions. The issue allows an attacker who has already achieved root-level access to circumvent protections that should prevent even root users from modifying or deleting certain protected system files.

macOS employs System Integrity Protection (SIP) and other security mechanisms to protect critical system files from modification, even by users with administrative or root privileges. This vulnerability bypasses these protections through improper state management, creating a window where protected file operations become possible.

The local attack vector requires the attacker to already have root privileges on the target system. While this represents a significant barrier to exploitation, post-exploitation scenarios where attackers have already gained root access could leverage this vulnerability to cause persistent damage to the system.

Root Cause

The vulnerability exists due to improper state management within macOS file system protection mechanisms. Specifically, the operating system fails to properly maintain the protected state of system files during certain operations, creating a race condition or state inconsistency that can be exploited. Apple addressed this by implementing improved state management to ensure file protection status is consistently enforced throughout all relevant operations.

Attack Vector

The attack requires local access with root privileges on the target macOS system. An attacker would need to:

First obtain root-level access to the macOS system through other means
Exploit the improper state management condition
Target protected system files for deletion

The vulnerability does not require user interaction once root access is obtained. The attack impacts both the integrity and availability of the system, as critical system files could be deleted, potentially rendering the system unstable or creating conditions for further attacks.

The vulnerability manifests in the state management logic that governs protected file operations. For detailed technical information, refer to the Apple Security Advisory #126349 and Apple Security Advisory #126350.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-46310

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected deletion or modification of protected system files in /System/, /usr/, or other SIP-protected directories
Anomalous root-level processes attempting file operations on protected paths
System instability or boot failures following suspicious administrative activity
Audit logs showing unauthorized file deletions in protected locations

Detection Strategies

Monitor for file system events targeting SIP-protected directories using endpoint detection tools
Implement integrity monitoring for critical system files and directories
Track root-level process activity for unusual file deletion patterns
Correlate authentication events with subsequent protected file operations
Deploy SentinelOne Singularity Platform for real-time behavioral detection of privilege abuse

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable macOS Unified Logging for file system operations and review logs regularly
Configure alerts for any modifications to protected system paths
Implement file integrity monitoring (FIM) for critical macOS system directories
Monitor for process execution patterns consistent with privilege escalation chains

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-46310

Immediate Actions Required

Update macOS Sequoia to version 15.7.4 or later immediately
Update macOS Sonoma to version 14.8.4 or later immediately
Audit systems for signs of compromise or unexpected file deletions
Review root account access and minimize the number of users with administrative privileges

Patch Information

Apple has released security updates that address this vulnerability through improved state management:

macOS Sequoia 15.7.4 - Apple Security Advisory #126349
macOS Sonoma 14.8.4 - Apple Security Advisory #126350

Organizations should prioritize deploying these updates to all affected macOS systems. The patches implement proper state management to prevent the bypass of protected file deletion restrictions.

Workarounds

Restrict root access to only essential personnel and systems
Implement strict access controls and multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts
Enable macOS System Integrity Protection (SIP) if it has been disabled
Monitor and log all privileged operations on macOS systems

bash

# Verify SIP status on macOS
csrutil status

# Check macOS version to ensure patched version is installed
sw_vers -productVersion

# List recent file deletions in protected directories (requires audit logs)
log show --predicate 'eventMessage contains "delete"' --last 24h